Grazing / Range Management

Cattle grazing in the San Joaquin Management Area

The Bureau of Land Management Hollister Field Office administers 71 active commercial grazing leases for both sheep and cattle. Primary use season lasts between January - April. Forage generally consists of annual grasses and forbs which grow during these wetter months and the range is managed to ensure enough residual mulch remains after each grazing season.

Rangeland is monitored annually, measuring the health of the land by watershed function, integrity of nutrient cycles and energy flow, and presence of functioning recovery mechanisms. These criteria take into consideration native plant and animal communities, season of use, riparian areas, rest and recovery phases, fuel loading, sensitive resources, and measurable condition parameters such as residual mulch and water quality.